mCube acquires Xsens in drive to lead rapidly growing market for motion-sensing systems and applications

Combination of mCube’s monolithic MEMS+CMOS motion sensors with Xsens’s motion-tracking sensor fusion technology set to spark new wave of innovation for the Internet of Moving Things

SAN JOSE, CA – 09 November 2017 – mCube, provider of the world’s smallest and lowest power MEMS motion sensors, today announced that it has completed the acquisition of 3D motion tracking products and technology company Xsens from ON Semiconductor.

This merger brings together two complimentary innovators and technology leaders in the 3D motion sensing and tracking industry:

Privately held mCube is the only company to have brought monolithic MEMS+CMOS motion sensors to mass volume production. Its technology for fabricating a MEMS accelerometer together with a CMOS signal-processing ASIC in a single chip is protected by multiple patents. mCube’s monolithic MEMS accelerometers enjoy substantial size, cost, power and performance advantages over the multi-chip modules from competing MEMS sensor manufacturers. More than 300 million mCube MEMS motion sensors have been shipped to manufacturers of smartphones, tablets, wearables, and other IoT devices.

Xsens has developed a suite of technologies for converting motion sensor measurements into application data, deploying unique expertise in sensor fusion and motion-tracking application development, and drawing on an array of patent-protected algorithms. Xsens motion capture solutions have been used to create CGI animations in Hollywood blockbuster movies, and by automotive manufacturers such as Daimler to enhance the ergonomic design of vehicles. Xsens products are also used in industrial applications for autonomous vehicles, professional drones, smart farming and robotics.

By combining the two companies, mCube expects to be able to create new markets for motion sensing and tracking solutions in the burgeoning Internet of Moving Things (IoMT) market. Because mCube’s motion sensors are smaller and lower-power than any others, they are enabling innovative and tiny wearables, personal medical devices, and miniature embedded sensor modules. Working alongside Xsens’s experts in sensor fusion and motion-tracking modules, mCube will enable customers to develop motion-enabled applications faster by taking the complexity out of MEMS sensors with highly integrated solutions.

Xsens is to retain its brand name and will continue to operate from its current base in Enschede, The Netherlands as a stand-alone business unit of mCube. mCube and Xsens will jointly develop new system solutions aimed at existing and new customers in the consumer, industrial, medical, sports science, autonomous vehicle and entertainment industries. In addition, mCube and Xsens will co-ordinate sales and marketing activities to take advantage of the broader combined geographical coverage in North America, Europe and Asia.

Ben Lee, CEO of mCube, said: “The world is heading rapidly towards a trillion-sensor future in which consumers and businesses will operate seamlessly with the Internet of Moving Things. By bringing together mCube and Xsens under the same umbrella, we will be able to imagine, innovate and help our customers to implement radical new applications enabled by motion sensing and tracking technology advancements.”

Ferry Willems, General Manager of Xsens, said: “Even in the early development meetings between Xsens and mCube, it has been clear that there is a world of opportunity for us to meet existing customer requirements in a better way and to develop solutions and applications that customers have not even thought of. Both our companies will be stronger together than they would have been separately. The opportunities in motion-tracking technology for Xsens and mCube now look brighter than ever.”

Internet of Moving Things
Billions of devices are being connected to the Internet at an ever-accelerating rate and a large percentage of these devices are in motion. From smartphones and tablets to smart clothing and wearable medical devices, mCube is enabling a new era called the “Internet of Moving Things,” where the movement and context of everyday objects and devices can be measured, monitored and analysed, generating valuable data and insights that will transform the way consumers live and businesses operate.

About mCube
mCube makes the smallest and lowest power motion sensors in the world. As a technology leader, mCube aspires to be the enabler for the Internet of Moving Things by putting a MEMS motion sensor on anything that moves, improving the way people live and interact with technology. With over 300 million units shipped and having received multiple awards for product innovation, mCube continues to provide the world’s most advanced inertial sensing solutions for smartphones, wearables, and IoT devices. For more information, visit www.mcubemems.com. Follow mCube on Twitter @mcubemems

About XsensXsens is the leading innovator in 3D motion tracking technology and products. Its sensor fusion technologies enable a seamless interaction between the physical and the digital world in applications such as industrial control and stabilization, health, sports and 3D character animation. Clients and partners include Electronic Arts, NBC Universal, Daimler, Autodesk, ABB, Siemens and various other leading institutes and companies throughout the world.

Xsens has offices in Enschede, the Netherlands and Los Angeles, California. More information is available at www.xsens.com.